Strategy Director (Social & Integrated Comms)

Strategy Director, Social & Integrated Comms 

Havas Play 

About Havas Play 

At Havas Play, we build brands in culture. As an integrated culture marketing agency, we create culture-first 360 campaigns that sit in the space between traditional advertising and media - connected through culture, powered by partnerships, creators, talent, media and experiences. 

The Opportunity 

We are looking for a Strategy Director, Social & Integrated Comms to lead strategic thinking across major client relationships and help shape Havas Play’s offer across social, creator and integrated communications. 
 

This is a senior role for someone who combines cultural fluency, strategic rigour and creative ambition. You will turn insight into clear direction, strong briefs and effective ideas that resonate in culture and deliver measurable impact. 

Key Responsibilities 

1. Social & Creator Strategy 

• Lead social and creator strategy for key brands, developing social-first and culture-led approaches that drive relevance, participation and impact. 

• Build always-on, campaign and reactive strategies across platforms, communities and cultural moments. 

• Define the role of social across the consumer journey, from awareness through to advocacy. 

• Ensure social is treated as a strategic driver of ideas, not simply a channel for distribution. 

• Develop clear briefs that unlock social-native creativity and effective creator collaboration. 

• Partner with creative and specialist teams to shape culturally resonant, platform-appropriate work. 

• Identify innovation opportunities and help keep the agency and clients ahead of shifts in the social landscape. 

2. Integrated Communications Strategy 

• Translate research, insight, data and cultural observation into integrated 360 communications strategies. 

• Shape paid, owned and earned approaches in partnership with client and agency teams. 

• Develop campaign phasing and communications plans that help ideas travel through culture and generate momentum. 

• Build messaging frameworks for campaigns across different audiences, channels and stages of the journey. 

• Develop culture-first consumer journeys that drive relevance, participation and action. 

3. Strategic Leadership & Craft 

• Turn business challenges into clear strategic questions, opportunities and recommendations. 

• Lead strategic workstreams across projects with autonomy and accountability. 

• Write clear, inspiring briefs and strategic narratives that connect audience insight, cultural intelligence and business ambition. 

• Ensure strategy remains central throughout development and delivery. 

• Present strategic thinking with clarity and confidence in meetings, workshops, presentations and pitches. 

• Apply sound judgement to identify meaningful cultural opportunities rather than short-term trends. 

4. Client & Cross-Agency Leadership 

• Act as a strategic partner to clients, building trusted relationships with day-to-day and senior stakeholders. 

• Provide expert counsel on social, creator and cultural strategy. 

• Lead workshops and strategic sessions where needed. 

• Work closely with creative, account management, production, media, PR, partnerships, data and specialist teams to deliver integrated thinking. 

• Build strong relationships across inter-agency teams and contribute to joined-up recommendations and solutions. 

5. Team Leadership & Agency Contribution 

• Play a senior role in the strategy team, helping raise the quality of thinking across the agency. 

• Mentor and support junior strategists through coaching and feedback. 

• Contribute to strategic tools, products, methodologies and ways of working. 

• Support the wider agency in strengthening its social, influencer and culture-led strategy capabilities. 

• Contribute to thought leadership, marketing initiatives and the agency’s point of view, including the use of AI in strategy and agency processes. 

6. New Business 

• Support new business pitches and growth opportunities with strong strategic narratives and propositions. 

• Lead and contribute to social and integrated communications workstreams across new business opportunities for Havas Play and the Havas Village. 

• Contribute to thought leadership and marketing activity that strengthens Havas Play’s profile in culture-first social and creator strategy. 

7. Measurement & Effectiveness 

• Define success frameworks and KPIs that connect activity to brand and commercial outcomes. 

• Work with client, creative, data and insight teams to ensure delivery against strategic objectives. 

• Use campaign performance and learning to continuously refine and evolve strategy. 

• Provide senior oversight of strategic output to maintain high standards across briefs, decks, recommendations and presentations. 

What We’re Looking For 

Experience 

• Significant experience in a social strategy and/or integrated comms role within an agency or brand environment. 

• Strong expertise in social, creator and integrated communications strategy. 

• Deep understanding of social platforms, creator ecosystems, communities, audience behaviour and culture’s role in brand building. 

• Strong experience turning insight into clear recommendations, compelling briefs and effective creative direction. 

• Proven ability to work closely with creative teams to develop standout ideas. 

• Confidence facilitating workshops and presenting to senior stakeholders. 

• Experience leading projects and managing multiple stakeholders across disciplines. 

• Experience mentoring or managing junior team members. 

• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to support client growth. 

Personal Qualities 

• Strategic, curious and culturally engaged. 

• Creatively ambitious with strong judgement. 

• Collaborative, generous and team-oriented. 

• Clear and persuasive communicator, able to simplify complexity. 

• Passionate about creating effective work that earns attention and drives impact. 

Working Arrangements 

• Office presence: 3 days per week with the Havas Play team. 

• Travel: Occasional travel for client meetings and events. 

Why Join Havas Play? 

This is an opportunity to join an agency built around creativity that drives impact, and to play a leading role in shaping how brands win in culture. 

You will work with ambitious clients, talented collaborators and a team that values smart thinking, strong partnerships and exceptional work. 

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